It would not be a shock if fans watching Saturday’s game between Maine South and host Waukegan left the stadium thinking that the two active streaks involving these football programs will continue forever.
But for one of the streaks, “forever” has a definite expiration date … October of 2015.
As for the other …
Maine South’s 49-8 victory at Waukegan was the Hawks’ 71st consecutive victory in Central Suburban South play. The streak started in 2001 and there is no sign that it will ever end.
The other streak is Waukegan’s Central Suburban South losing streak, which reached 20 with Saturday’s running-clock loss.
If the current season goes sideways, the losing streak could reach 24. But there it will end because next year, Waukegan is leaving the CSL South to join the North Suburban Conference.
So, this was Waukegan’s football farewell to Maine South. The next time these teams meet, it will be in a playoff game … maybe in 2016.
But that will be up to Waukegan (2-3, 0-1), which simply didn’t look the part Saturday.
Maine South (3-2, 1-0) led 35-0 at the half. Its seven possessions resulted in five touchdowns, a missed field goal and a lost fumble. The drives started on Waukegan’s 48, 44, 17, 29 and 42 and Maine South’s 47 and 38.
Waukegan’s drives started on their own 20, 13, 15, 20, 20, 6 and 20.
When Maine South took the second-half kickoff and drove for a touchdown in 1:19 to make it 42-0, it advanced the game into running-clock mode.
Waukegan’s TD came on Jalen McKie’s 22-yard run early in the fourth quarter.
“We played a better ballclub. They were a better team,” Waukegan coach Juan Anillo said. “They were disciplined, and they played together. They are where we want to get to. We’re still a work in progress.”
Maine South’s Brian Collis finished 21-for-25 passing for 259 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Arenas caught nine passes for 108 yards. Fotis Kokosioulis ran four times for 57 yards and two TDs and also caught three passes for 40 yards and a TD.
Matt Fortune carried four times for 79 yards and a touchdown in the second half for the winners.
“We’re definitely happy. We wanted to come in here and make sure we executed like we should,” Collis said. “We want to make sure that we’re running our plays and getting our system down. We have to worry about ourselves first, especially in preparing for the upcoming games.”
Waukegan ran 18 times for 17 yards and gained 69 yards passing.
“The defense was awesome. They did what Coach (Dave) Inserra wanted them to. The D-line made a lot of big plays and helped give us short fields on offense,” Kokosioulis said.
Waukegan next plays at New Trier, which is 5-0 on the season.
“I think (our players) will be back out here Monday ready to go,” Anillo said. “That’s what I expect. I know I’ll be out here, and our staff, ready to prepare for New Trier.”
Bryan Bonato is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.
